Container having a concave circumferential collector

ABSTRACT

The subject matter discloses a container, comprising a vessel for storing a content to be stored in the container, said vessel has an outlet and a circumferential collector to collect the content drifting from the vessel. In many cases, the lower most point of the circumferential collector is located under the outlet of the vessel. The container may be a cup, wine glass, bottle, squeezable dispenser, plate and the like. The collector prevents spillage of the content of the container as part of the container. The circumferential collector is capable of containing food or accessories

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to containers in general and to containershaving a collector to collect spills in particular.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Most known containers, such as bottles, glasses and other containers forstorage of liquids or fluids have flat bottom. As a result, when aportion of the liquid is spilt off the container, it causescontamination and sometimes stains.

Further, in some cases, the liquid spilt off the container is wasted andcannot be reused, for example in case the fluid is any kind of soap oroil squeezed from a squeezable dispenser.

Many solutions address the spill problem by adding an extra layer ofmaterial to the container to absorb the spillage. Such extra layer doesnot collect the spillage and does not allow reuse of the same. Further,such extra layer as disclosed in US patent application no. 2006/0368762of Novak, covers at least some of the content of the container at itsexternal walls, and cannot be produced as one piece with the containerbecause of the absorbing characteristics of the extra layer, as opposedto glass, plastics and ceramics.

Other solutions prevent spillage using lids or covers to be provided ontop of the containers. Such lids are cumbersome and not allow free andintuitive use of the container when pouring and drinking by providing abarrier at the inlet or outlet of the vessel of the container.

A container that prevents spill of liquid off the container, allowsreuse of the spilt liquid and does not change shape and functionality ofthe inlet or the vessel of the container is a long felt need.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the subject matter to disclose a container,comprising a vessel for storing a content to be stored in the container,said vessel has an outlet, a circumferential collector to collect thecontent drifting from the vessel wherein a lower most point of thecircumferential collector is located under the outlet of the vessel.

In some embodiments, the circumferential collector is connected to a legof the container. In some embodiments, the circumferential collector ismounted on top of a base of the container.

In some embodiments, the size of the circumferential collector issmaller than the size of the base of the container. The container may bea cup, a bottle, a plate, a dispenser having a squeezable outlet and thelike.

In some embodiments, the container further comprises a secondary wall,such that the circumferential collector provides walls of more than 90degrees.

In some embodiments, the circumferential collector cannot be removedfrom the container without destructing the container. In someembodiments, the upper end of the circumferential collector is locatedbelow the outlet of the container. In some embodiments, thecircumferential collector is capable of containing food or accessories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary non-limited embodiments of the disclosed subject matter willbe described, with reference to the following description of theembodiments, in conjunction with the figures. The figures are generallynot shown to scale and any sizes are only meant to be exemplary and notnecessarily limiting. Corresponding or like elements are optionallydesignated by the same numerals or letters.

FIG. 1A shows two-dimensional outline of a container having acircumferential collector, according to exemplary embodiments of thesubject matter;

FIG. 1B shows a three-dimensional outline of a container having acircumferential collector, in accordance with some exemplary embodimentsof the subject matter;

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional outline of a bottle having acircumferential collector, in accordance with some exemplary embodimentsof the subject matter; and,

FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional outline of a dispenser comprising asqueeze pump having a circumferential collector, in accordance with someexemplary embodiments of the subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

One technical problem addressed by the subject matter is that contentpoured into a vessel of a container drift at the external wall of thecontainer to the bottom, and from there to an object holding thecontainer, such as a table, a map and a like. This causes dirt, stainsand sometimes prevents reuse of the content, especially in case thecontent is in contact with non-sterile surface such as the table.

One technical solution is a container having a circumferential collectorresiding under the outlet of the vessel of the container, to collectcontent of the vessel that leaks from the inlet or the outlet of thevessel. In many embodiments, such as wine glass, cup, bottle, pitcherand the like, the inlet is in fact the outlet of the vessel.

FIG. 1A shows a two-dimensional outline of a container having acircumferential collector, according to exemplary embodiments of thesubject matter. The container of FIG. 1A is a wine glass 100 comprises abase 130, a vessel 115 and a leg 120 connecting the vessel 115 to thebase 130. The content of the wine glass 100 is poured into the vessel115 via an inlet 110. In some cases, a portion of the content may bespilt along an external wall 110 of the vessel 115, flow downwards viathe leg 120 and the base 130 to an object located beneath the container,such as a table, a map and the like. As a result, a circumferentialcollector 150 is provided at the bottom section of the wine glass 100 tocollect the material that was not properly poured into the vessel 115.The circumferential collector 150 is provided to collect the content ofthe wine glass 100 when received to a section of the wine glass 100located under the inlet of the vessel 115. Such circumferentialcollector 150 may be connected to the leg 120, the external wall 110 andother components of the wine glass 100 as desired by the person skilledin the art. The circumferential collector 150 contains walls such as140, 141 that are higher than the lowest point 135 of the upper portionof the base 130. The walls 140, 141 may be provided to the entireperimeter, or at only a portion of the perimeter, and are capable ofcollecting the content spilled to the upper portion of the base 130,adjacent to point 135. The angle between the walls 140, 141 and the base130 may be a sharp angle, an obtuse angle or a right angle. In somecases, one portion of the circumferential collector 150 may be at oneangle off the base 130, and another portion of the circumferentialcollector 150 may be at another angle off the base 130.

The content of the vessel 115 may be liquid, fluid, paste, powder, oil,soap, beverages, detergents and any other content that is likely to bepoured into a container such as the wine glass 100, or other containersdisclosed in other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Theuppermost portion of the walls 140, 141 may be at the external portionof the circumferential collector 150, for example at the perimeter ofthe base 130. In other exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subjectmatter, the uppermost portion of the walls 140, 141 may be closer to thecenter of the base 130 such that the size of the inlet of thecircumferential collector 150 is smaller than the size of the base 130.In some cases, the circumferential collector 150 has a non-circularshape, such as oval or polygonal shape, or a combination of the above.

In some cases, the wall 140, 141 may be provided at an angle in a rangeof about 20 to 90 degrees from the surface of the base 130. As a result,the content collected at the circumferential collector 150 may be spiltwhen the wine glass 100 is turned aside. A secondary wall 142 is thenprovided to extend from the walls 140, 141 to prevent leakage of thecontent from the circumferential collector 150. Such secondary wall 142is likely to point to the center of the wine glass 100 or to the base130, such that the secondary wall 142 blocks the content of thecircumferential collector 150 from being spilt when the wine glass 100is turned aside. The circumferential collector 150 may be provided atthe entire perimeter of the wine glass 100, or at only a portion of theperimeter. For example, the circumferential collector 150 may beprovided only at one third of the perimeter at about 120 degrees of theperimeter. Thus, the circumferential collector 150 may be provided at ageneral direction of pouring the content to the vessel 115 of the wineglass 100. The rules and characteristics of the circumferentialcollector 150 of FIG. 1A may apply to the circumferential collector ofother embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 1B shows a three-dimensional outline of a container having acircumferential collector, in accordance with some exemplary embodimentsof the subject matter. The container of FIG. 1B is generally equivalentto the wine glass 100 of FIG. 1A, and has equivalent characteristics.The wine glass 100 of FIG. 1B also contains an inlet 105, through whichcontent is provided into the vessel 115, and a base 130. The inlet 105functions also as the outlet of the wine glass 100. The circumferentialcollector 150 of the three-dimensional outline is located at the baseportion of the wine glass. In other embodiments, the circumferentialcollector 150 may be located at the middle portion of the leg 120. Thecircumferential collector 150 may surround the entire perimeter of thewine glass 100. The vessel 115 and the base 130 of the wine glass 100 orof other container of the subject matter may be polygonal, elliptical ora combination of both. The circumferential collector may not reach theperimeter of the base 130, and create a collector smaller than the baseof the wine glass 100. The collector of the subject matter may be thewine glass 100 or another kind of container such as for example a glasshaving a leg, a coffee cup, a mug glass, a cocktail glass, a snifter, aplate, a soup bowl, a flute, a highball glass, a low-ball glass, a shotglass and the like.

The circumferential collector 150 may also be used to contain food oraccessory used by the user of the container such as the wine glass 100.Such food may be cookies, in case the container is a coffee mug, orolives, in case the container is a cocktail glass. Alternatively, thecircumferential collector 150 may contain accessories such as toothstick, coins, napkins or other accessories desired by a person skilledin the art. The circumferential collector 150 may also function as anashtray. Known containers, especially cups and glasses do not provideany sub-container that allows containing additional objects, besides thecontent of the vessel of the container.

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional outline of a bottle having acircumferential collector, in accordance with some exemplary embodimentsof the subject matter. Such bottle 200 according to the subject mattermay also be a pitcher or jag used for storing liquid to be poured intocups, as listed above. Bottle 200 comprises an inlet 210 for pouring theliquid into a container such as wine glass 100 of FIG. 1A, and a body220 in which the content of the bottle 200 is stored. The bottle 200 maycomprise a first circumferential collector 232 located under the inlet210 of the bottle 200. The inlet 210 also functions as the outlet of thebottle 200. Such first circumferential collector 232 creates a containerunder the inlet 210, to collect the liquid spilled from the bottle 200.FIG. 2 shows two additional circumferential collectors that may be analternative or added to the to first circumferential collector 232. Asecond circumferential collector 234 may be located in the middle of thebody 220 of the bottle 200. Alternatively, a third circumferentialcollector 236 may be located adjacent to the bottom portion 222 of thebottle 200.

In case any of the circumferential collectors is not provided at theentire perimeter of the bottle 200, as sown in the secondcircumferential collector 234, said circumferential collector 234 may beassembled of a semi circular shape, crescent, or semi elliptical shapeattached to the external wall of the bottle 200. In such exemplary case,two walls 242, 244 seal the missing portion of the secondcircumferential collector 234.

FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional outline of a dispenser comprising asqueeze pump having a circumferential collector, in accordance with someexemplary embodiments of the subject matter. The container of FIG. 3 isin fact a dispenser 300. Dispenser 300 comprises a vessel 340 containingthe content of the dispenser 300 and a dispensing unit 310 thatfunctions as an outlet of the dispenser. The dispensing unit 310 issqueezable using a space 320 in the body of the dispenser 300. When thedispensing unit 310 is moved downwards, the content of the vessel 340exits the vessel 340 via the outlet of the dispensing unit 310. Acircumferential collector 330 is provided to collect spills from theoutlet of the dispensing unit 310, to prevent leakage towards to anexternal wall 350 of the dispenser 300. The circumferential collector330 may be oval, elliptical, circular, polygonal or a combination of theabove, and is an integral portion of the container 300.

The circumferential collector is likely to be formed of the samematerial as the other parts of the container. The circumferentialcollector is made of a rigid or semi rigid material, such as glass,plastics, cardboard, metal and the like. In some cases, the upper end ofthe circumferential collector is lower than the outlet of the container.

Various materials, such as glass, plastics, metals, ceramics, paper or acombination of the above, may be used to produce the container or thecircumferential collector of the disclosed subject matter. Suchcontainer may be produced in any method desired for a person skilled inthe art, such as molding and the like. One technical advantage of thesubject matter is that the container is a one-piece container used forpreventing spill of the inlet or the outlet of the container, incontrast with other solutions that provide the container with anotherdisposable circumference to absorb the spilled fluid. Further, thecircumferential object of the disclosed subject matter enablescollection of the spilled fluid, not just absorption, such that theabsorbing element is not disposed, the fluid is not contaminated and maybe reused. Further, a one-piece container enables to view the content ofthe container, in case the container is transparent, unlike to theabsorbing circumference portion that is opaque.

While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings without departing from the essential scopethereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter notbe limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but only by the claimsthat follow.

1. A container, comprising: a vessel for storing a content to be storedin the container, said vessel has an outlet; a circumferential collectorto collect the content drifting from the vessel; wherein a lower mostpoint of the circumferential collector is located under the outlet ofthe vessel.
 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein thecircumferential collector is connected to a leg of the container.
 3. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential collector ismounted on top of a base of the container.
 4. The container according toclaim 3, wherein the size of the circumferential collector is smallerthan the size of the base of the container.
 5. The container accordingto claim 1, wherein the container is a cup.
 6. The container accordingto claim 1, wherein the container is a bottle.
 7. The containeraccording to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a squeezableoutlet, and wherein the lower most point of the circumferentialcollector is located under said outlet.
 8. The container according toclaim 1, further comprising a secondary wall, such that thecircumferential collector provides walls of more than 90 degrees.
 9. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential collectorcannot be removed from the container without destructing the container.10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of thecircumferential collector is located below the outlet of the container.11. The container according to claim 1, wherein the circumferentialcollector is capable of containing food or accessories.